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Category: A Botanist’s Pocket Guide
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Free New Mexican Urban Tree Dichotomous Key (version 1.0)
What is a Plant Key?
A plant key is a tool used to artificially classify a plant based on it’s physical characteristics. Typically, these keys feature conserved characteristics like reproductive structures as they rarely change from generation-to-generation in plants.
However, with many plants, especially trees, it can be hard to identify the plant because there is a short window to observe their reproductive structures. This is why we use vegetative parts in our keys.
In this key, we’ve used multiple characteristics to help users learn how to see plant patterns from a botanist’s perspective. Try making your own key from plants in your community! We’ve included many resources in the pdf for you to explore.
Why Should I Use A Plant Key Instead of an App?
While apps and AI can be helpful in identifying plant species, it’s not recommeneded. Plant taxonomy experts look at all sorts of small characteristics to build a plant profile for artificial keys.
Frequently, apps will provide the wrong species due to many factors like: wrong location, poor cell service, blurry photos, no identification tied to herbarium-vouchered specimens, etc.
Addiitonally, there are better tools available! Try iNaturalist, an app that uses verified source material and subject matter experts from around the world to help accurately identify plant species.
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A Botanist in Urban Forestry*
*I hope you know you’re supposed to read the title with your best impression of Sting’s reggae-style ‘Englishman in New York’.*
Having roots in Utah, I like to joke that my time in Texas was a two-year mission among the tree people; sharing my love of community spaces and nerding out about plants. As a field botanist (and Certified Arborist), the world of urban forestry is fundamentally interdisciplinary and well-funded.
In reality, my experience wasn’t that lighthearted. I loved many aspects of my job, the agency mission that I supported, the people I worked with, the communities across Texas that I served, but the reality of being on the front lines of the climate crisis was exhausting. Being in a highly visible role while wrestling with the political realities that contradicted good science AND good people was nearly impossible.
Over time, I had to accept that many community leaders had no concept of public land, that plants and trees were alive, nor that parks could be a peaceful havens for the community.
A live oak trying to survive in Fort Worth, Texas on St Louis Ave & Leuda Street. More than half of its roots were cut and it is still standing. However, a tree may not react to external stressors like these for many seasons. Both Utah and Texas are conservative and deeply red states that have strong, traditional values. However, approaches to educate the general public and community partners about communal property were vastly different.
In Utah, I knew how to convey the importance stewarding public land. Access to public land and conversations about stewardship deeply tied into culture and religious practices, but tend to fully embody western/settler views of ‘wilderness’.
From the perspectives of many Utahns, ‘outsiders’ have negative reputations. The ones I heard growing up usually had to do with littering, fouling communal water sources and destroying established and dispersed camping sites out of ignorance. Most of these environmental abuses I witnessed came from other Utahns, typically in the form of poorly-managed livestock and recreational users on public lands.
When interacting with community members, I knew how to reframe and direct common public land narratives to tie indigenous sovereignty, best management practices and climate change together. In short, I ‘spoke’ the language of the LDS faithful and happily facilitated opportunities to educate inquiring minds. I still do.
Comparatively, Texas has less than 4% public land and a successful targeted anti-littering campaign , but few Texas-specific educational resources address Leave No Trace practices, environmental stewardship and climate change. This is gradually changing due to leaders in environmental education like Texas A&M Forest Service, Texan By Nature, Keep Texas Beautiful, Texas Forestry Association and many others, but it is an uphill battle.
The Texan identity is fundamental to addressing climate change narratives in the state, but developing a love of nature in children there is extraordinarily difficult. In my experience, children from Texas actively disliked and some even feared the outdoors.There’s many reasons, but most of the perspectives I heard seemed related to safety concerns tied to racism and outdoor access, venomous animals, record heat waves, wildfire risk and flooding.
For community members that don’t have the opportunity to build a relationship and responsibility with nature, having regular access to community science educators should be a priority for lawmakers and leaders.
My favorite method of getting families outdoors was partnering with local parks and recreation departments to offer moon-lit Nature and Forest Therapy hikes from late spring to early fall. I developed a hybrid method that made space for participants to feel comfortable outdoors, offer answers to their science questions and practice supervised way-finding.
In other words, it was cooler, the full moon offered enough light to for children to guide their parents on the well-marked trail, reinforced safe interactions with night wildlife, and helped children and adults feel confident to revisit the park during the day.
The roles we play in our careers, interests and communities of origin are an opportunity to foster a love of nature, one of the best ways to inspire hope in young children facing ecological crises in their communities.
My most successful method is building community-led programs that align with narratives which empower undeserved members because that has been my lived experience as a low-income, first generation high school and college graduate.
You may find another method that aligns well with your passions and skills.
As a scientist, I have a responsibility to facilitate conversations and spread knowledge about climate realities. I believe it can be through applied hope and joy. By advocating for responsible stewardship, we can offer culturally-relevant education, skill building, intergenerational investment and personal accountability.
As a person who was once a child, community led me to a career that brings me great joy that I get to share with everyone I meet. How do we foster joy in our relationships to each other and our plant friends?
I think the simplest way is to become friends with a tree.
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Responsible Harvesting: A Botanist’s Perspective
Originally published in October 2019 and re-published on May 2, 2025.
I’ve seen a number of posts on social media talking about wildcrafting and harvesting. I think it is an excellent opportunity to discuss this botanist’s perspective on ethical harvesting. My personal philosophy is simply this: don’t take more than you can use. However, this also means that you should be mindful of the ecosystem that you are harvesting from.
Here are some key questions you should ask yourself: Does this population have more than 7-10 individuals? Is there another population of this plant nearby? Has this stand already been harvested from?
When I explain this concept to children, I explain that you shouldn’t eat wild plants unless the following conditions have been met:
1.) Has Morgan (or another trusted adult) said it is okay to eat this plant?
2.) What are the ways you can tell this plant is safe to eat (ex. Serviceberry has leaves that look like cat paws, white flowers and/or fruit that looks like blueberries)?
3.) Why do you want to eat/collect this plant?
I ask these questions for a number of reasons. Primarily, it builds critical thinking skills while also building good habits about mindful collection and our role in our environment. When answering the third question, it brings to mind your motivations about why you are using this plant. If this is the only plant that you see and it has already been munched on by animals and you have snacks with you, why collect? Animals don’t have grocery stores or kitchens or appliances to store food, while we, as humans, have innumerable tools at our disposal to eat a relatively healthy diet.
Take Home Points:
1.) Be confident in your plant identification skills. If you aren’t 100% what this plant is, don’t eat it! Take a photo and post it on a plant ID page on social media (Make sure you include your location, photos of flowers, fruits, leaves and habit!).
2.) Count out how many individual plants exist in this area. We are looking for at least 7.
3.) Generally, we shouldn’t collect more than half of what a single plant is producing to make sure that there is enough for animals and the seed bank.
4.) Consider recording GPS coordinates and collecting a specimen for your local herbarium and iNaturalist. This helps local plant enthusiasts understand the distribution of species in an area!
Suggested Literature:
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants (Kimmerer, 2013)
Guidelines for the Ethical and Sustainable Harvesting of Wild Plants (Forest Service, USDA)
Are you interested in cultivating your botanizing skills, wanting to learn about local plants in your yard, or are wanting me to come assist you in a project?
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5 C’s of Desert Field work
Published in March 2021, re-published on May 2, 2025.
Botanical field work in a harsh climate is an endurance sport. It is vitally important to prioritize the care of yourself, your team and your gear. You are a professional athlete existing in one of the world’s extreme environments. However, you aren’t just using your body, you’re also required to apply your education and skills with limited external support aside from your team. Use this guide to limit fatigue, increase preparedness and be mindful of you and your team needs.
1. Cover
Cover all of your limbs, especially if you are fair. Wear long sleeves, long pants, a wide brimmed hat, sunscreen on exposed skin and a bandana; your shoes also are included. If you are doing field work that is off the beaten path in rough terrain, do not wear lightweight trail runners. You will get cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) in them and will cut your feet. I recommend wearing hiking boots that have a higher ankle and have leather uppers. Socks are vital to keep your feet happy and wool has great moisture-wicking properties. Using the right kind of field gear on your body will prevent the formation of injuries and heat-related illnesses.
To learn more about boots, check out ‘All About Boots: A Botanist’s Perspective’
2. Cool
Consider the kind of fabric you are using for your gear. I prefer to wear a cotton or linen ‘overshirt’ to protect my skin and keep cool. However, you need to be careful with chafing, so take frequent breaks and remove your pack to dry out. When I first started out, I would get my field clothes from the thrift store or use hand-me-downs from relatives. Now, I prefer light-colored shirts that have UV protection. Desert nights are very, very cold and the mornings are cool. Bring layers for day and night use. There’s a trend in the outdoor industry to be “ultralight”. You’re probably car camping, so weight isn’t as much of an issue. Bring what you think you will need. You will pare down your field work belongings as the weeks go on.
3. Coarse
The desert is a harsh environment, especially if you aren’t used to it. Your hair, skin, eyes, hands and lips will feel it the most because they are continually exposed to the dry air. I recommend finding a hydrating lotion and/or lip balm. If you have long hair, to prevent matting and painful tangles, try oiling your hair with jojoba, coconut oil or conditioner and braiding your hair in a protective style appropriate for your hair texture. Consider getting sunglasses that completely wrap around to protect your eyes from the dust and sunburn. I would skip wearing contacts and get prescription glasses and sunglasses. Getting sand in your contacts can cause corneal abrasion.
4. Care
Your physical, emotional and mental health are important to the success of field season. Physical health can include stretching in the morning and evening to avoid injury, inspecting your feet for blisters, splinters or other issues. Remove your boots when you’re able to and wear sandals to let your feet breathe. This includes grooming: if water for bathing isn’t available, use baby wipes, bandanas, drybrush to get all the soil and sweat off of your body.
Bring food & drinks that you want to eat. This isn’t the time to try a new diet. Your body needs nutrients and you need to eat. Food needs to be shelf stable to avoid food-borne pathogens. Please drink electrolytes to avoid electrolyte depletion. I’m a blue-flavor gatorade gal. Let your crew members and/or crew lead know immediately if you are injured or aren’t feeling well.
Emotional health can include many things, but we’re going to focus on setting boundaries. You will be working closely with your co-workers for 8-16 weeks. It is likely that you will have disagreements: collection methodology, where to camp, where to gas up, what to listen to in the car, etc. If you feel safe to do so, speak up and communicate your needs. Your employer wants you to complete difficult tasks in a challenging environment. It is more expensive to hire and train a new crew member than to hear your concerns.
See our Bill of Rights for Natural Resource Professionals.
Arguably, mental health is the most important factor to keeping your morale up during field season. My go-to for a quick pick-me up on a hard day are sweets. I’m a big fan ginger candies and fancy instant coffee for cold mornings. To build rapport with your crew, bring treats to share (barring food allergies or dietary restrictions). If you need to recharge after a long day, bring activities that you enjoy. I bring books (physical or electronic/audiobooks), a journal/notebook, travel-sized art supplies and my current knitting project.
5. Chaos
Something will go wrong during field season, it is just a matter of time. It could be multiple flat tires two hours away from the nearest tire shop, an allergic reaction or injury, or an acute safety incident.
I’ve found the best way to prepare for these situations is to have a personal first aid kit that holds your medications (OTC and prescribed), eye drops, bandaids, tweezers & needles (for removing splinters), alcohol wipes and anti-bacterial ointment. If you have asthma or severe allergies, inform your team members where your emergency medication is in your pack. Know where the nearest hospital, grocery store (water source), gas station and repair shop are. Be prepared to bail out if you or your team’s safety is comprimised–few jobs are worth not coming home to your loved ones and this isn’t one of them.
Some days are going to be awful and you will want to quit. If you do, that’s okay. It’s not for everyone and there are even more natural resource jobs in office environments than ever before.
If you liked this article and want to learn more about Desert Field Skills Training Workshops, book a free 15 minute consultation with us to learn more.
Abbott Botanical Assessments, LLC 